“X-files” comes to WonderCon

Last weekend at at WonderCon, a fewlucky souls in San Francisco witnessed the trailer for the new X-Files

movie. It remains to be seen if this is a movie that should happen— I am not a huge fan of the first — but catching a glimpse of it overat Cinematical.com, I’m sure I sat at my computer withan dorky fangirl grin on my face. Anticipation is sweet.

Retrocrush.com was on the scene to interview Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny afterwardabout the movie and their post-X-Files perspectives. Duchovnytalks a lot (why am I not surprised?), but Anderson managed to get afew words in. Here are some highlights. And a snap judgment:Duchovny needs a haircut.

First, the news is that themovie will be a throwback to the beginning of the series; there willbe mythology (as is hinted at in the trailer) but the film will be a standaloneproject for those who’ve never seen the series. And for thosewho stopped watching during the last two seasons, when even AnnabethGish wasn’t enough to compensate for Scully’s annoyingly endlessweeping.

No, Agent Reyes isnot in the film. But she’s pretty.

One question I found interesting: “Whyis the show still relevant? Why are the characters still relevant? Atthe time it seemed like it was a very turn-of-the-century, millennialnarrative.”

ANDERSON: It’d be interesting toknow, if we had started the series in 2008, what would have been happening.When they started it, there was something very timely about it. Whetherit would take in this day and age, I have no idea. I think that allthe elements that made it what it was contribute to why it was successful,and why people are interested in seeing more of it.

Let’s see. A show about two peoplesearching for personal and public truths, set in a time when peopledistrust the government’s truth-telling capacity and wonder what dirtysecrets might be hidden under official policies and sugar-coated rhetoric.Some things are just timeless.

On whether it is frustrating to beso highly identified with a character:

ANDERSON: There’s certain timeswhen my focus has been on different things. Like at a charity eventon another continent. And that’s all they want to talk about, they don’twant to talk about the charity event. Yeah, that gets frustrating. Orwhen I’m trying to promote something else and 75 percent of the interview wantsto go back to the series. It’s frustrating, but it is what it is. Iwouldn’t have the choices to do the things I want to do today if itweren’t for the series.

I do have a little sympathy for this.And when she does open her mouth, she has to becareful.

When asked about the experienceof being at the panel and mingling with fans, both Anderson and Duchovnyseem to have enjoyed the experience. I know, what else would theysay? But it’s sort of cute that they might even entertain theidea people wouldn’t come out for the movie. I mean, I knew whatwas coming and I still sat through Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.

ANDERSON: It’s a wonderful feelingto know that there’s people out there who are going to show up and actuallysee this film when it comes out. Their enthusiasm and their desire tosee it. I think that is rewarding, and a bit of a relief.

DUCHOVNY: It was always my hopethat we would get to do one of these every 5 or 6 years. When I wasgetting off the television show I wasn’t like “Screw the show,screw these characters, screw you!” I would love to keep doingit, if I could come back every now and then. I love working with Gillian,I love Chris. I love the characters. If we can pull that off, that’dbe great. And if not? I’m perfectly happy with the amount of work we’vedone as Mulder and Scully, you know? (laughs) We’ve done a lot. So ina way, I felt that this was “win/win”. If it continues on,then it’s fantastic. If it goes away … well, then we did a lot.

I can’t imagine how the movie willplay out, given the ending of the series. Will Scully and Mulder’sson, whose lame story line disappeared from the final episodes, turnup? Will they pretend he never existed? Will they stillbe on the run? Will they be pursuing the truth? I hope theanticipation isn’t the most thrilling part of the movie, but I’m there. Ain’t It CoolNews

has a blow-by-blow of the WonderCon panel presentation if you want more.